News, notes and reader questions about the San Francisco 49ers

October 28, 2011

Jim Harbaugh sounds confident that Frederick P. Soft didn't show up during his team's bye week. Harbaugh today cited strong practices - and a few wee-hour player sightings - as evidence his 49ers haven't grown complacent.

Harbaugh said he'll sometimes arrive at the team facility at 6:15 a.m. or so when it's still dark to find players pushing blocking sleds on the practice field. He caught at least one player, quarterback Scott Tolzien, sleeping in the facility. Others have been pumping iron before the sun rises. "You walk in into the weight room and there's seven or eight guys in there," Harbaugh said.

When asked about his sleepovers, Tolzien, the team's No. 3 quarterback, noted that the 49ers' players lounge area has televisions, video games and massage chairs - better than can find in any apartment nearby. Asked why he bothers to pay rent, Tolzien smiled and said, "Now I do. My back was starting to hurt from the couch."

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Harbaugh said he used the St. Louis Cardinals' late-inning comeback(s) in last night's World Series game to motivate his own troops. Talking about Game 6, however, wasn't popular with all the players. Michael Crabtree, for example, grew up outside of Dallas and was pulling for the Rangers. "I kind of took it hard," said Crabtree, who has not one but two Rangers caps in his locker. "It seemed like (Harbaugh) was on St. Louis' side."

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Harbaugh said that Braylon Edwards, listed as questionable on the 49ers' injury report, would be a game-time decision just like Frank Gore was before the Week 4 game in Philadelphia. Fullback Moran Norris (fibula) and cornerback Tramaine Brock (hand) are doubtful.

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Asked whether he was bummed he was left off the Pro Bowl ballot, rookie Aldon Smith - he leads the 49ers with 5 Â½ sacks - smiled and shook his head. "No. It doesn't bother me. That's fine," he said. "I'm glad I lead the team in sacks, but we've still got 10 more games to go. That's a lot more games before the Pro Bowl, and it's not really on my mind right now."

Some of you have asked what @AldonSmithJETS - Smith's Twitter handle - means. No, he's not a Winnipeg Jets fan. JETS stands for, just enjoy this "show."

MATTHEW BARROWS

Matt was born in Blacksburg, Va., and attended the University of Virginia. He graduated in 1995, went to Northwestern for a journalism degree a year later, and got his first job at a South Carolina daily in 1997. He joined The Bee as a Metro reporter in 1999 and started covering the 49ers in 2003. His favorite player of all time is Darrell Green.